The BJP and the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) observed Bangla Bhasa Diwas (Bengali Language Day) on Saturday to commemorate the 2018 deaths of two youths in Daribhit village, North Dinajpur, during alleged police firing over a teacher hiring protest.

BJP leaders, including Raiganj BJP MP Kartick Chandra Paul, reached Daribhit and paid homage at the graves of Rajesh Sarkar and Tapash Barman, the duo who had died in the firing seven years back.

“Rajesh and Tapash were gunned down as they demanded the recruitment of Bengali teachers at Daribhit High School. Their families sought an investigation by central agencies. For the past two years, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) has been probing the case according to Calcutta High Court orders,” said MP Paul.

“The progress of the investigation, however, has been slow. We want the NIA to finish the probe fast so that people responsible for the deaths of these two youths, who fought for the Bengali language, are brought to book,” he said.

The BJP's move comes at a time when the ruling Trinamool Congress has upped its ante over atrocities faced by Bengali-speaking migrant workers in BJP-ruled states.

School students take a rally organised by ABVP to observe Bengali Language Day in memory of deceased Rajesh Sarkar and Tapash Barman at Daribhit village on Saturday

The Trinamool leadership, including party supremo and chief minister Mamata Banerjee, has accused the BJP of acting against Bengali-speaking people and Bengal.

“Since 2018, the BJP has used the Daribhit incident to consolidate its support in Raiganj. It managed to win the Lok Sabha seat twice (in 2019 and 2024). With Trinamool leaders are flagging the Bengali ‘oshmita (self-pride) issue these days, the BJP is desperate to keep the Daribhit issue alive,” said a political observer.

Families of the slain youths alleged that the police had fired on them. The incident had also left another youth, Biplab Sarkar, with bullet injuries.

The state had handed over the probe to the CID. The families, however, said they did not have faith in the state agency and approached Calcutta High Court with a petition that the probe be done by a central agency. The court ordered the NIA to carry out the investigation.

“NIA teams have visited our village and have spoken to many of us, been to the spot and collected information. But we doubt whether there has been much progress in the investigation. We don’t know when we will get justice,” said Tapash’s mother Manju.

The ABVP organised a march with school students, a marathon, a free eye check-up camp and a sit-and-draw competition in Daribhit on Saturday.

“We observed the Bengali Language Day to commemorate their deaths. Our activities will continue until those responsible for the firing are punished,” said Deep Dutta, an ABVP leader of the district.